First off, just want to introduce myself. My name is Josh, I was raised in Alaska but currently live in Washington state (hope to move back this winter). I have been around all sorts of guns all my life, but just to shoot. I never had the initiative to learn much about them though! But better late than never, right? haha.

On to my problem/questions.

I have recently been given my Grand Fathers Remington 1100 shotgun semi auto magnum for 3 inch shells. This was probably the number one gun I shot when I was in Alaska (was always a favorite). And it had ZERO problems what so ever. I fly it back down from my last trip to Alaska, and it won't eject the shells. My friend had a large amount of Winchester/Federal, 2 and 3/4 inch shells and that's what I have been using (I'm about to buy some Remington). Anyways I was talking to some gun folks around here and looking online and this is what I came up with.

The reason my Shotgun isn't ejecting is because i'm not using Remington shells.

I'm not using 3inch shells. (Even though all I used in Alaska was 2 and 3/4 inch)

The shells aren't "Magnum".

The shotgun is dirty and needs a good cleaning. (I doubt this one)

Now what do you guys think? Feel free to add to the list. The Magnum part i'm kind of scratching my head at, I could find these rounds when people talk about them online, but never actually found any in person or online.

Your gun might just not like them, they might not be loaded hot enough to cycle the action. My Beretta 3901 has problems cycling the cheaper Winchester and Federal game loads, but does fine with all others.

Remington 1100's need to be kept clean and well lubricated ..to be reliable. If it were mine ...I'd clean it at least every 150 shells or so .../ or after every range trip to shoot clays.

If its clean and well lubed ...it should cycle most any shell that has a velocity of at least 1200 fps ....but they will often operate just fine ( again if they're kept clean ) on shells at 1150 fps...

The length of the shell is irrelevent....except that 3" shells are often loaded to a higher velocity. The amount of shot in the shell is irrelevent as well...it won't matter if a 1200 fps shell is loaded with 7/8 oz of shot, or 1 oz, or 1 1/8 oz of shot....its all about the velocity of the shell ...and the boxes you're buying should tell you velocity ...or at least the Dram Equivalent ( DR EQ ) and it should be at least 3 Dram Equivalent .

gas operated guns...do not run dirty very well..../ or any gas gun for that matter....especially old technology like the 1100's ...some of the newer gas guns like Beretta 3901's, Browning Silver series, Winchester XP's ..will tolerate less maintenance. If you don't like to keep a clean gun ...then look at an inertia operated semi-auto ...like a Benelli. Inertia guns run much cleaner - because the gas is not used to cycle the action.

Get someone to help you take the gun apart / show you how to clean it properly ...and my hunch is, you'll enjoy owning the gun more ...and understand how it works better. Its part of the hobby ....

here's all I do to clean my 1100 LT-20. Like Big Jim said, I let no more than 100-200 shells ignite in the gun, then I strip and clean it immediately. It's best to shoot an 1100 semi-dry. All I do is remove the barrel and forearm, pull off the two rings and rubber O-ring. I rub off any gunk on the recoil tube with 00 steel wool and the action bar. I will then spray a little bit of G96 or Break Free CLP on the recoil tube, action bar and gas cylinder that is attached to the barrel. Then wipe everything off with a clean rag, then reassemble. Oh yes, use a pipe-cleaner to ream out the gas ports so they remain void of crud.

I only clean the trigger group once a year with a blast of Gun Scrubber. That should do it for you...

when I said clean....I meant clean ......not leave the trigger group in it for a year....come on Slugo ...geez man.... It only takes 30 sec to drop the trigger group out ...use some Q tips on it and a little solvent on it ...some compressed air in it to dry it out ...and you're done...

and slugo and I disagree on running a gun "dry" ...I run my semi-autos on the wet side of dry ....not so it drips off the gun ....but a good oil lube ...like Break Free ...or maybe Wilson Combat Ultima Lube Oil ....are both good products...even Rem Oil is ok ...or I like Rig Oil # 2 in a trigger group too...

Slugo and I basically agree...just not on the oil / ....but you get the idea !

Thanks for all the input guys! I read a whole bunch of how to's on cleaning the gun, and have just done so. This is something that I will NEVER get rid of, it's more important to me because of who's it was, rather than what it is.

Hopefully I go shooting again soon though! So I will know for sure, i'll also buy some Remington shells, along with bringing the Winchester/Federal rounds, to see if that makes any difference as well.

Once again thanks to you all! Always happy to be apart of a good working Forums such as The Firing Line. You can count on me coming back with more questions!

The 3" 1100 Magnum was designed to shoot 3" and 2-3/4" MAGNUM loads only. Some will shoot lighter loads but don't bet money. If you want to shoot 2-3/4" field or target loads reliably get a 2-3/4" barrel.
BTW, a 3" load generates a longer pressure pulse, not higher pressure.

Had same problem with my Remmington 11-87. I had it perfectly clean and it would not cycle.

Replace the rubber O ring for the gas operation system. They get old and get little cracks in them, get brittle... in short they stop sealing properly.

I relaced mine and my 11-87 worked perfectly from that point and cycled ALL types of shells regardless of load or length. Hope this works for you. I ended up selling the gun after a few years, never had to replace the O-ring again, but I think its common to do this every few years depending on how often you use it.

There are many elastomeric compounds that are impervious to petroleum based lubricants, including Viton which is what is most widely recommended and sold for 1100s/11-87s. Nitrile and Buna-N are less likely to hold up. Neoprene is available from industrial suppliers, but who needs 50? I have one that has been in the gun, and shot heavily, since about 1967, and it is still fine. Ham handed cleaning is the most likely O-ring killer. The ones you see advertised as made of Teflon are not in my limited observations, which is good because Teflon is not very elastic. If you want it to look gray and shiny like Remington's, put the Viton ones in a sandwich baggie with some graphite lock compound and shake.
Many 1100s will cycle okay with no O ring at all installed, in fact one of my three will with 1-1/4 oz or heavier loads.

V-in-LA, You are correct to advise on the Viton o-ring but I would like to know why you feel the nitrile o-ring won't last in the 1100 application.

The Viton is more heat resistant and impervious to more chemicals then the Nitrile but I've not found a gun cleaning or lubing solution that negatively affects Nitrile.

Also Viton is not really recommended with ester or ether solvents and if I remember correctly, cleaning solvents such as Hoppe's #9(and some others) falls under the ether solvent list.
Nor do I shoot my 1100 enough to generate enough heat to distort the nitrile o-ring.

Too, about 4-5 years ago, I ordered o-rings from Rem. for my 1100's as well as two of my brothers 1100's. I was sent a packet of 10ea.(if I remember correctly) o-rings which were silicone o-rings. Was a bit surprised and didn't use them.

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